Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Materials Science, University of Rochester, 2007
  • M.S., Materials Science and Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, 2001
  • M.E., Mechanical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1997
  • B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1993
Licenses & Certifications
  • Professional Engineer Mechanical, Arizona, #80192
  • Professional Engineer, Maryland, #41592
  • Professional Engineer, New York, #79001
  • Professional Engineer, Pennsylvania, #PE097089
  • Six Sigma Black Belt Certification (CSSBB)
Professional Honors
  • Tau Beta Pi
  • Pi Tau Sigma
  • Society of Plastics Engineers ANTEC Best Paper Award
Professional Affiliations
  • Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Senior Member
  • SPE Medical Plastics Division Member
  • ASTM D20 Plastics Committee Member
  • Plastic Pipe Institute (PPI) Member

Dr. MacLean is the Practice Director and a Principal of Exponent's Polymers and Chemistry Practice. His research is focused on the chemical and physical behavior of polymeric materials in end-use applications, with an emphasis on load-bearing components and structures. Dr. MacLean's specialties include part design and analysis, failure analysis, material selection and specification, formulation-structure-property relationships, testing, product development, and material technology assessments. He has studied various polymer failure mechanisms including stress overload, creep rupture, fatigue, environmental stress cracking, delamination and weathering. Throughout his career he has evaluated the suitability of materials for the automotive, sporting goods, medical and drug delivery device, consumer products, oil and gas, electrical, pipe, and construction industries. Dr. MacLean assists clients in assessing risk in all stages of product life including product qualification, reliability testing, quality control, and long-term field performance.

Dr. MacLean is well versed in product recall investigations led by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). He is familiar with the processes of each federal agency regarding the investigation, analysis, and remedies of underperforming products and components. Dr. MacLean is also familiar with testing and material standards published by ASTM International, International Standards Organization (ISO), Underwriters Laboratories (UL), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and others.

Over the past 30 years, Dr. MacLean has worked on a variety of finished goods produced from polymer and composite manufacturing processes including injection molding, compression molding, blow molding, blown film, rotational molding, extrusion, fiber spinning, thermoforming, calendaring, and laminating. In addition, he has investigated material systems which include secondary operations such as metallic plating, coatings, adhesives, paints and welding and conveyed his findings to entities including technical decision makers, government regulators, arbitrators and juries.

Dr. MacLean has extensive experience in intellectual property matters, specializing in patent infringement and validity assessments as well as trade secret and inventorship disputes. He also routinely assists clients with claim construction and Markman hearing preparation for complex IP matters. Dr. MacLean has provided testimony across a wide range of venues, including federal district courts, international arbitration panels, the International Trade Commission (ITC), and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. MacLean worked in industry at General Electric Aerospace, General Electric Plastics and SABIC where he held several technical and leadership positions of increasing responsibility. His responsibilities included product development, material formulation, processing and selection, testing for high-demand applications, product safety and compliance assessments, failure analysis, and intellectual property analysis.